A&E Network today announced the launch of the second year of The Recovery Project, a multi-faceted, multi-year initiative to raise awareness that addiction is a treatable disease and recovery is possible, culminating in a Recovery Rally in Manhattan and a symbolic walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, on Saturday, September 12. The network will again select "Recovery Delegates" from all fifty states and the District of Columbia to participate in the events.
A&E and The Recovery Project will support seventy other rallies across the country during September -- National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month - in partnership with the advocacy organization Faces and Voices of Recovery (FAVOR).
"The scope of the addiction problem in this country and the urgent need to provide addicts with treatments they need and deserve remain critical public health issues," said Bob DeBitetto, President and General Manager, A&E Network and Bio Channel. "The Recovery Project has been an especially rewarding initiative for us, and we remain focused on working with our partners to effect real change."
Last year's Recovery Rally featured a crowd of more than 5,000 recovering addicts from across the country and their friends, family and advocates sharing their stories of determination and hope. This September, A&E will build on the success of the 2008 launch by expanding The Recovery Project's national footprint to support additional recovery events around the country.
While more than 22 million Americans* struggle with addiction to alcohol and other drugs, fewer than ten percent receive the treatment they need due to stigma, lack of awareness or cost. The Recovery Project - inspired by the tremendous response from viewers, individuals and families in recovery to the Emmy-nominated series "Intervention" - strives to shed light on the scope of the addiction crisis and its impact on society. It is also an effort to break the stigma associated with addiction by celebrating the accomplishments of people in recovery and those who support them, including treatment providers, scientists, family and friends.
A&E Network, in partnership with the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD), FAVOR, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) and the 2009 Recovery Month Planning Partners, conducted a nationwide search for the 2009 Recovery Delegates. The Recovery Delegates, representatives from each state and D.C. in recovery for at least ten years and active in the promotion of addiction awareness in their community, will be announced in July.
A&E is working with several leading federal agencies and non-profit organizations to develop The Recovery Project, including the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA); the NCADD; and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA).
The Recovery Project has been nominated for a 2009 PRISM Award™ in the Public Service Project category. The PRISM Awards honor productions that realistically depict substance abuse and addiction, as well as mental health issues. The Recovery Project was also recognized with a 2009 PR News Corporate Social Responsibility Award in the Cause Branding Campaign category. In addition, ASAP New York, the largest association of addiction treatment providers in New York State, recognized A&E with a Community Service Award and the NCADD has presented The Recovery Project with its Corporate Partnership Award.
During the 20th anniversary of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in September, AETN networks - including A&E Network, History, BIO Channel, and the Crime & Investigation Network - will air a series of public service advertisements, highlighting the importance of treatment and the hope for recovery. Benjamin Bratt, Whoopi Goldberg and MC Hammer will be among the celebrities featured in the campaign whose main messages are that recovery is possible and treatment works.
On the grassroots level, The Recovery Project will continue to work with local organizations to help them create their own awareness events. A&E will continue to co-host, along with the PDFA, and leading MSOs such as Time Warner Cable, Cox and Comcast, "Intervention" Town Hall meetings in cities across the country. The Town Hall meetings offer opportunities for parents, teens, addicts, government officials, health professionals, substance abuse prevention experts and educators to develop a better understanding about the root causes and consequences of addiction. Other educational outreach initiatives include co-sponsorship of a Time To Talk™ parent guide, developed by the PDFA, focuses on preventing addiction by fostering better communication between teens and their parents about drugs.
*Source: Overview of Findings from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
